Overview
- The Le Constellation blaze, which broke out on New Year’s Eve, killed 41 people and injured 115, many of them teenagers and foreign visitors from Italy and France.
- On May 20 the Valais public prosecutor announced a 14th person is now formally designated as a prévenu, an employee of Crans‑Montana’s construction service who was told of the status while being questioned as a witness.
- Early technical findings reported by investigators indicate sparks from decorative “fountain” candles ignited acoustic or insulating foam on the bar’s basement ceiling, producing rapid fire development and heavy smoke.
- Authorities and some local officials have acknowledged that formal safety and fire inspections at the bar had not been carried out since 2019, and several current and former municipal employees and elected officials are under inquiry.
- The penal probe is focused on who failed to meet safety obligations and could lead to criminal charges; the main co‑owner, Jacques Moretti, is due to be re‑questioned on June 5 as investigators continue to gather evidence.